FOXBORO, Mass. — Jerod Mayo hasn’t been able to play a full 16-game schedule in each of the last two seasons because of injuries. Yet the New England Patriots linebacker, who agreed to restructure his contract in April, is taking the usual approach of just trying to improve with each training camp practice.
“Just rehabbing, staying around here, enjoying time with family, trying to get back to work,” Mayo said Friday when asked about his offseason. “I’m just taking it one day at a time. I’m trying to get better each and every day.”
Mayo was one of the better middle linebackers in the NFL before his injury issues began in 2013. From 2010 through 2012 — the last three seasons in which he played in 14 or more games — Mayo averaged 139 combined tackles per year, which led the team.
The Patriots have lost three important members of their secondary from last season when cornerbacks Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner and Kyle Arrington all signed with new teams this offseason. New England will need an improved performance from its front seven to consistently pressure the opposing quarterback and ease the burden on an unproven secondary, and Mayo’s return should play an important part of that.
“It’s great to have Jerod back on the field,” Patriots defensive end Chandler Jones said. “Even though he went down, he was still out there with us being a leader as far as the vocal point. But having him on the field as a physical presence is a great feeling, and I’m excited to have him back, I really am.”
Thumbnail photo via Geoff Burke/USA TODAY Sports Images
